These stories of power, politics and pesky poltergeists give you a glimpse into the darker side of the wizarding world, revealing the ruthless roots of Professor Umbridge, the lowdown on the Ministers for Magic and the history of the wizarding prison Azkaban. You will also delve deeper into Horace Slughorn’s early years as Potions master at Hogwarts – and his acquaintance with one Tom Marvolo Riddle.

I’ve always enjoyed the fact that throughout the Harry Potter series, some of the most evil and terrifying characters are that way due to their pursuit of power. This collection of character bios and short stories helped to drive this fact home. From Dolores Umbridge to Horace Slughorn, these characters were either inconceivably evil or just incredibly misguided in their ties to and desire for power. These tales were a great warning against an uncontrolled will to obtain power, regardless of the cost.

I have never really loved politics, or those who are interested in gaining political power – and the tales in this collection of short stories were a great reminder of this fact. No matter what someone’s intentions are, there seems to be a number of ways in which they can become corrupted. I also love the attention to detail that is present in the list of all past Ministers of Magic – two centuries worth of characters and their imprint upon the world of British Magic involves a lot of thought.

Although power and politics are somewhat serious topics, and the characters covered in this bio range from self-centred to truly evil, my favourite tales and chapter in this collection is that on poltergeists. Particularly the presence of Peeves within Hogwarts and his many exploits throughout the years. I particularly loved the imagery provided by the attempt to eject him from the castle.